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Match Report

Tue 26 Feb 13

Tuesday, 26 February 2013 at Greenhous Meadow Stadium, Shrewsbury

npower League 1

Shrewsbury Town 1 DONCASTER ROVERS 2

Referee – Mr Ollie Langford

The Rovers travelled to play at Shrewsbury Town and badly need the three points on offer to keep up with the others in the top group. They made one change from Saturday, Iain Hume, from the bench, swopping places with Billy Paynter. Shrewsbury, in the lower half of the table, beat Stevenage on Saturday at home, having brought in a new pair of front men, Tom Eaves and Chris Porter, on loan. The home team were unchanged from Saturday.

The Rovers defended the North end Stand in the first half in front of their fans, with the home team getting the game underway. In the second minute McGinn, for the home team, chipped the ball forward but it carried through to Woods, who easily handled it. Three minutes later and the Rovers moved forward and Husband hit a fierce drive from 25yards that rattled the bar before bouncing back into play and cleared. At the other end Eaves had a strike from 30yards that Woods saved comfortably. As the quarter hour came up a high cross from Spurr was pushed away by Weale. Jones, stabbed the ball against the post and it rebounded back hitting him on the shin and was cleared off the Shrewsbury goal-line by a home defender. The Rovers followed this by getting the ball in the net from Jones but it was disallowed for offside. A corner followed soon afterwards as the Rovers had most of the play and a free kick from Cotterill thirty yards out was just over the bar. The Rovers dominated play past the half hour without troubling Weale in the home goal. Then, Parry tried a lopng distance shot that Woods collected easily. Two minutes later, the 36th, a pivotal moment when the referee sent off McAllister for what he seemed to think was a stamping challenge on Hume. The Rovers now had only ten men to beat but all they managed up to the break was a couple of corners, Jones’ header to the first one was easily saved by Weale and the second one was cleared.

Half Time – Shrewsbury Town 0 Doncaster Rovers 0

The Rovers made a change at half time, with Syers replacing Keegan. They kicked off and went straight on to the attack. A cross from Cotterill on the right was helped goalwards by Syers but Weale was there to collect it. A couple of minutes later and a cross from Quinn on the right brought a good header from Syers that was blocked and came out to Quinn, who fed Syers but he screwed his shot wide. In the 56th minute, Husband, on the Rovers left, hit a low cross to the middle, Cotterill met it with a firm shot from 12yards but Weale, going one to his right twisted in mid-air and got his left hand to it to parry it away. Then Cotterill had a go from 30yards but Weale saved comfortably. Past the hour and a good run forward by Lundstram led him to feed Hume, who hit a hurried shot well wide from 25yards. Then, a high cross from Cotterill on the Rovers right was headed back into the middle from the left by Spurr but the onrushing Syers headed wide. Husband followed this with a low cross to the far post but Hume failed to connect. In the 67th minute, a long ball out of the home defence for Eaves to chase and catch gave him a shot from the right opf the area but he put it high over the bar. Then, at last, a goal arrived in the 72nd minute, when Quinn put Cotterill away on the right, he put inside to Coppinger, who fed HUSBAND on the Rovers left and a low drive hit the far corner of the net. The Rovers continued to attack and a cross by Cop[pinger from the left gave Hume a header on goal but Weale saved. A good attack then by Morgan, for the home team, nearly led to them scoring but Jones saved the day. As the last ten minutes came up Shrewsbury pushed up on the attack. McGinn fired wide from 25yards but they pressed on to get something from the game and in the 90th minute they appeared to have gained a point when EAVES hit a good shot from 25 yards straight at Woods but inextricably he only half stopped it and the ball had enough force to slip through his hands and over the line for an equaliser. The board showing four minutes added time spurred the Rovers on to the attack and the siege eventually paid off when a cross from the Rovers left was diverted into the net by BENNETT in the 93rd minute for the winning goal to put the Rovers on the top of the Division.